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Lucky Duck Earns $2,500 For Winner

Regina McGuire says she had never won anything until recently. She’s on a roll now, though.

McGuire was the big winner in the Blue Ridge Duck Race 5000 presented by Martinsville Speedway last Saturday. Her adopted plastic duck beat 6,000 other ducks to the finish line on the Smith River, netting her the $2,500 first prize. The duck race was a fund raiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge.

“I really never had (won anything) until recently. I bought a $1 raffle ticket and won $100,” recalled McGuire after she was presented the winner’s check Thursday. “A lady came by our shop selling the ducks and wanted to know if I wanted to buy one … I figured ‘why not’.”

She didn’t attend Saturday’s Blue Ridge Duck Race 5000 at the Smith River Sports Complex, so was unaware of her win until she got a call from a family member on Sunday. They “called me after church and said ‘can I borrow some money. I said well … sure.’ Then they said ‘you don’t know do you? Your name was in the paper. You won the duck race’.”

“We were excited to be involved with the duck race and are happy it was such a success,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “The Boys and Girls Clubs do an amazing job in the area. They help so many young people. We’re just glad we can help them help others.

Sean Dunn, the Chief of Police for the City of Martinsville, had the second fastest duck, taking home the $1,000 second place prize, while James Beckner of Martinsville claimed $500 for third.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge exceeded its original goal of having 5,000 ducks adopted, and by Saturday morning 6,000 had been adopted. The 6,000 ducks were dumped into the Smith River from a dump truck positioned on a bridge on U.S. 58 crossing the Smith River a few-hundred yards upstream from the Smith River Sports Complex. The duck race was part of the day-long Smith River Fest.

“The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge would like to thank Martinsville Speedway for all of its support in making the 2014 Blue Ridge Duck Race a huge success,” said Jack Johnston, development coordinator for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge. “We want to thank everyone that adopted a duck to help the club. We had to deal with some weather the day of the race but overall it was a huge success and we cannot wait for next year’s race.”